Helpful Colin

Discussing Malicious Website URLs On Twitter

Introduction I have recently come across an issue where good people wish to convey information about malicious websites to everyone. They’re doing very good work tying to keep us all safe and informed by discussing malicious website URLs (Universal Resource Locators), particularly on Twitter. Unfortunately Twitter creates a link in the text to anything looking… Continue reading Discussing Malicious Website URLs On Twitter

Using A Digital Signature With Outlook

Introduction This article covers some of the issues involved when using a Digital Signature. Each Digital Signature is generated from a Digital Certificate (otherwise known as a Digital ID) issued by a certifying authority. All examples given are created using Microsoft Outlook 2010 on a PC using Microsoft Windows 10, but the principles apply to other versions of… Continue reading Using A Digital Signature With Outlook

Browser Choice In Microsoft Windows Ends

Microsoft's Browser Choice Screen

Browser Choice – What’s That About In December 2009 the European Union obliged Microsoft to offer a choice of browsers to their European customers when they installed new versions of Windows. This browser choice was also delivered in updates to Windows and so the Browser Choice screen was born and has been with us ever since.… Continue reading Browser Choice In Microsoft Windows Ends

Backdoor Trojan Regin Spying Since 2008

A recently discovered Backdoor Trojan Regin is a computer bug found by the software security company Symantec. Its purpose is to spy on the activities taking place on computers. It can collect passwords, capture screen images and even recover deleted files. The Backdoor Trojan Regin has been made to operate in five stages the last two being encrypted to… Continue reading Backdoor Trojan Regin Spying Since 2008

Norton Safe Web & Search Engine Interaction

Introduction While updating software on a friend’s Windows 8.1 PC he remarked that he could no longer see the Norton Safe Web (NSW) icons in his search results. He was using Internet Explorer with Google as his home page and search engine. He had Norton Internet Security (NIS) installed and the Norton Toolbar was present in… Continue reading Norton Safe Web & Search Engine Interaction

Targeted Attacks via Internet Explorer Confirmed by Microsoft

There is a vulnerability (flaw) which allows targeted attacks via Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 to be made on MS Windows PC’s. The attack seems complex to me and probably not easily made against the masses. The ultimate goal of an attacker would be to encourage a PC user to visit dangerous websites. Microsoft… Continue reading Targeted Attacks via Internet Explorer Confirmed by Microsoft

Make Google The Home Page In Windows 7

Introduction A friend found they had got MSN as their Home page and asked me how they could make Google the Home page in Windows 7. What They Saw I haven’t seen their screen but I would expect it to look like the screen shot above, when they select their Home page, with MSN showing. Here I… Continue reading Make Google The Home Page In Windows 7

Internet Explorer Suggested Sites – Not My Favourites

I don’t necessarily want Internet Explorer Suggested Sites on my Favourites Bar in Internet Explorer. I just want My Favourites. Yes, I’m talking about the Suggested Sites shortcut which appears on the Favourites Bar and defies all attempts to remove it permanently. Deleting the shortcut from the Favourites Bar does not prevent it from returning.

Employees Pose Security Risks To Businesses

Employees Pose Security Risks To Businesses Trend Micro says employees pose security risks to businesses by their carelessness. So don’t allow access to your business data through your employees. Data is exposed by Wi-Fi hijacking and by employees losing mobile devices. Read about it on IT PRO by clicking here.

IE9 Zero Day Vulnerability Fixed

For a week now it has been known that there is an IE9 Zero Day Vulnerability. Get This Zero Day Vulnerability Fixed Now Microsoft have published a fix which came to me today in the form of an update as follows (for Windows 7): Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 9 for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2744842)… Continue reading IE9 Zero Day Vulnerability Fixed